Diminutive
by Keitorin Asthore
Summary: Formerly "Little Angel Child." What happens when Artemis unexpectedly becomes a big brother? Will his new sibling be affected by the intrigue of his life?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Artemis Fowl belongs to Eoin Colfer, not me.

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His parents were acting strange again.

Mother was staying in her room more and more often, pleading illness. And his father was whistling. _Whistling_. Artemis was suspicious. And when Artemis Fowl II is suspicious, the world should take note.

Of course, he didn't have to wait long, or even snoop around. His parents told him only a day or so later.

A new little Fowl was on the way.

"It was inevitable, Holly," Artemis said. He continued typing away at his computer while he talked to her on the comlink. "They're still young enough to have more children, and with my father finally returning to us-"

"But the world really doesn't need more of you running around," Holly groaned. "Just think…more little Artemises making up schemes. Like clones or something…"

"It'll be quite a while before the baby's cognitive processes are developed enough to concoct plots on scales such as mine," Artemis reassured her. "Besides, Juliet's returning from America to tend to the child. That will keep it occupied."

"Another Fowl," Holly bemoaned. "Another Fowl child to keep in line…I hate my life…" Artemis let out a very uncharacteristic snicker and ended the link.

-----

Artemis was gone at school for most of his mother's pregnancy- thankfully, in his opinion. He had no desire to see his mother with a stomach the size of a small watermelon. But eventually the semester came to an end, and he found himself standing in the hallway of the manor, feeling uncharacteristically anxious.

"Arty!" Angeline called. "Arty, is that you, darling?"

"Yes, Mother," Artemis called, handing his coat to Butler.

"Please come up here, dear."

Artemis walked up the massive staircase and down the hall. The door to a former guest room was slightly ajar, sending the smell of fresh paint into the rest of the house. "What is it, Mother?" he asked.

"Isn't it lovely?" Angeline sighed, stepping back and smiling at her handiwork. The guest room had been transformed into a child's paradise in soft yellow and white, with paintings from Peter Pan hung between the bay windows. A huge crib covered in soft blankets stood ready, waiting for its tiny occupant. Angeline sighed again and set her hand against her swollen belly, seven months pregnant. "I'm so excited, Arty. It's been so long since I've had a little one to hold." She stroked her teenage son's back. "And you were so independent, even as a baby. You barely needed to be held." Angeline smiled. "I still remember your first day of kindergarten. You didn't even want to kiss me goodbye. You just strode right into your classroom at the academy without looking back."

Artemis swallowed hard. He remembered that day too- just a little differently. He'd wanted to be held; all he wanted to do was cling to his mother and hide in her embrace. But she just let him walk away, like she didn't even mind.

He shook his mother's hand off. "Well, you'll have this child to take care of," Artemis said sharply. He stalked out of his room, and at the moment no one could deny it, not even him.

He was jealous.

-----

It was precisely two twenty-four in the morning when Artemis was shaken awake. "What on earth is it?" he growled.

"Arty, wake up," Juliet said. "Your father told me to wake you. Your mother's going to the hospital. The baby's coming." Her blue eyes were wide with fear. "She's two months early."

-----

Holly was quite sure she was dreaming. First of all, Artemis Fowl- _the _Artemis Fowl- had called her at four o'clock in the morning without a crime offer, and second and most shocking of all, he was _begging._

She kind of liked it.

Until she realized what he was saying.

"Holly, you've got to come," Artemis pleaded. "Mum had the baby, but it's too early and it's too little and it's going to die. You have to come."

"All right, all right, calm down, child," Holly said, noting that Artemis had called his mother "mum." It was kind of cute.

"I am not a child!" Artemis barked.

"Yes, you are," Holly corrected. "You're only thirteen. D'arvit, just act your age for while."

"I am not a child, and you will come and heal the baby, or you will pay the consequences," Artemis snarled into the comlink. He ended the communications.

Holly sighed heavily. "Root will have my badge over this," she mumbled. But if the Artemis Fowl II called her up out of his own free will and begged, she would have to do something about it.

Besides, she'd seen the "consequences" before. They usually weren't pretty.

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**Author's Notes:**

Man, I wrote this back in the fricking dark ages! All right, maybe not that long ago, but still. I think this was written shortly after the third book came out.

Oy.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Artemis Fowl belongs to Eoin Colfer, not me.

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Artemis was waiting for her outside the Our Sisters of Mercy hospital in Dublin. She almost didn't see him; he blended into the dark walls with his dark clothes. But his face was sharper and the worry lines in his young forehead deeper than usual. She approached him while shielded, knowing he could sense her. "How is Angeline?" Holly asked softly.

"Stabilized," Artemis said, speaking quietly through the side of his mouth. "She'll be all right. But the doctors can do nothing for the baby."

"All right, show me where the child is," Holly said. "I'll see what I can do."

Artemis led her upstairs to the intensive care ward on the tenth floor. Butler and Juliet were standing outside the room. "Artemis, the baby's worse," Juliet said, meeting him half way. She started. "Oh. Is that you, Holly?"

"Artemis called me," she explained.

"You should hurry then, Captain Short," Butler said. "The doctors say the child won't last much longer. The baby's lungs are far too weak."

"I'll see what I can do," Holly said. She didn't like the grave tone of Butler's voice. Things did not bode well.

The nursery was usually a calm, happy place. But not now. These were the sick babies, the children not destined for long lives. It broke Holly's heart. All fairies were fond of babies, whether they were fairy or Mud People. They were the last true innocents in the world. She floated quietly through the line of small bassinets, scanning for the new child. Then her eye caught the name. "Fowl." No first name, no nothing. Perhaps they didn't expect this little one to live long enough to earn a first name.

The tiny, scrawny baby was lying quietly, its small chest rising and falling in slow, painful gasps. The child's lungs hadn't had enough time to develop properly. Holly lifted up the clear plastic lid of the incubator. The baby shivered. "Sha, little one," Holly cooed. "You'll be all right. Your big brother called for me to come and help you. You'll be all right." Holly set her hand against the baby's painfully thin chest. She winced as she felt the baby's shuddering, fading breaths.

Heal, she thought. And the blue sparks touched against the dying baby.

-----

Artemis twisted his thumb nervously. What if Holly couldn't save the baby in time? What if something else happened? What if-

_Calm yourself! _he chastised mentally. He was Artemis Fowl II. He had no doubts. Only misjudged hypotheses.

And what if something horrible went wrong? What if…

"Artemis, wake up!" He jerked awake, realizing he had fallen asleep in the waiting room chair. Juliet was being far too perky for six o'clock in the morning. "Artemis, wake up! Holly did it! The baby's going to be fine!"

He rubbed his eyes sleepily. "Good," he said. "Now I'm going home."

"Home?!" Juliet exclaimed. "You can't go home without saying hello to your new baby sister!"

"Sister?" Artemis mumbled.

Juliet propelled him to his mother's hospital room. Angeline was sitting up in bed, beaming at a little pink bundle in her arms. Artemis Sr. was sitting next to her, one arm around his wife as he stroked his daughter's round cheek. "Arty!" Angeline said. "Come see the baby, darling. She's such a sweet little thing."

Artemis felt Juliet give him another shove and then disappear. He walked slowly to his parents. Angeline kissed him gently. "Arty, darling, you have to hold her," she said. "Our little miracle child."

He swallowed hard. "All right," he heard himself agree hesitantly. His mother placed the tiny soft bundle in his arms. Artemis looked down. A sweet-faced baby was snuggled in the pink blanket, mewling sleepily. She was soft and warm and completely vulnerable in his arms. "What's her name?" he asked.

"Her first name will be Apollo," Artemis Sr. said.

"Polly for short," Angeline added.

"We'd like you to choose her middle name," Artemis Sr. continued.

Artemis looked at his baby sister. Polly made a soft little noise and reached her minute fist towards him. A small smile began to tug at his usually impassive lips. "Viola," he said quietly. "I'd like her middle name to be Viola."

"After the girl in _Twelfth Night_?" his father smiled.

"I think it would be appropriate," Artemis said. He touched his fingertip lightly against her tiny thumb.

In the corner of the room, carefully shielded, Holly smiled.

Now she was sure that little Apollo Viola Fowl would be in good hands.

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**Author's Notes:**

Before anyone starts fussing about how Artemis just has two little brothers, let me reiterate- I wrote this after Eternity Code came out. So this is much further back, before other elements of the canon were established. So...yeah.

Polly's first name was easy enough to come up with, but I struggled with the middle name. I figured, though, that Artemis would pick something with meaning. Viola, in Shakespeare's _Twelfth Night_, is a spirited girl who, after getting separated from her brother after a shipwreck, disguises herself as a boy and gets in all sorts of scrapes. But eventually her brother Sebastian comes back and sorts everything out. It's one of my favorite Shakespeare plays, and I thought that Artemis would find the connotations appopriate.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Artemis Fowl belongs to Eoin Colfer, not me.

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Polly grew stronger quickly, amazing the doctors. Angeline and Artemis Sr. credited her recovery to the strong will of the Fowl family, but Artemis knew better. His parents were pleasantly surprised at the frequency of his visits to the yellow and white nursery.

Artemis woke up in the middle of a dark, rainy night. He'd always been a sensitive sleeper, even as a small child, and he could hear a high, thin wail over the dull roar of the rain. He crept out of bed and padded down the hall in his pajamas.

Polly was wriggling in her lacy bassinet, wailing just loud enough to get attention but not loud enough to be obnoxious. "Hello, little miss," Artemis said, leaning over her and smoothing her short black curls. He lifted her out of the bed, remembering to support her small head and neck. Polly batted her small fists against his cheeks as he settled her against his shoulder. "The storm is keeping you awake, isn't it?" He picked up a soft yellow blanket and draped it over the baby.

"I think I've discovered your weakness."

Artemis jumped about ten feet in the air. "Holly!" he seethed. "You startled me."

The fairy perched on the back of a rocking chair. "Then my work here is done," she snickered.

"Then you can go," Artemis said.

"No, no, it's not my only purpose," Holly said, slipping off of the chair. She lifted something away from her neck and held it out. "This is for Polly."

Artemis shifted the baby to one shoulder and took the necklace. "What is it?" he asked.

"It was Root's idea, and Foaly rigged it," Holly said. "It's sort of an alarm."

"Explain."

"If Polly is in any trouble, she can bite down on it," the fairy said. She pinched Polly lightly on the cheek, eliciting a charming baby giggle. "The locket is programmed to match to her DNA. If she bites down, it'll trigger an alarm. We can send out a squad to help her."

Polly squirmed; Artemis patted her small back. "Why would she need that?" he asked.

"Think about it," Holly said. "You've got powerful enemies, both Mud-People and fairies. Somebody's bound to get their hands on Polly."

Artemis sighed. "I see," he said. "It's not beyond the realm of comprehension." He took the locket and dangled in front of Polly's little face. "See this, darling? See the locket?"

"It's best that you don't give it to her yet," Holly cautioned. "Not until she's teethed and you can tell her that it's only for emergencies."

Artemis nodded. "I'll wait," he said. He smoothed the silky black hair away from her forehead as Polly gummed the lapels of his silk pajamas. "But I'll keep her safe. No matter what."

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**Author's Notes:**

Oy. Short chapter. But important to the plot...


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Artemis Fowl belongs to Eoin Colfer, not me.

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_Four years later…_

"Arty? Arty, where are you?"

"I'm in the study, Mother," Artemis called.

Angeline tapped the door open. "There you are," she said. She kissed the top of his head.

"You look lovely, Mother," Artemis said.

"Thank you, darling," Angeline beamed. She twirled in a slow circle, showing off her new gown. "Your father and I are going out to the theater tonight."

Artemis cocked his head. "Isn't Polly a little young to go out to the theater, especially so late at night?" he said.

"Oh, you saw your first play when you were her age," Angeline said. "Peter Pan. You were enchanted. But in any case, no, Polly's not coming. You're babysitting her, remember?"

Artemis's hands dropped on the keyboard. "What?"

"Remember?" she said. "Butler and Juliet are going to visit family, and your father and I have been planning this evening for a long time. You offered to watch Polly."

"I don't remember…"

"Arty," Angeline said, drawing her eyebrows together. "You said you would watch Polly tonight." She smiled and touched his cheek. "Besides, it'll only be for a couple of hours. You can handle that, right?"

"Compared to other things I've handled, Polly will be no problem," Artemis said.

"Good," Angeline said. "Now, Juliet set aside the ingredients for your dinner, so you make sure to feed Polly. Her bedtime is seven-thirty, no later than eight o'clock. And don't spend all your time in this dismal study of yours, all right? Go and play with your sister."

"All right, Mother," Artemis said.

"Very good," Angeline said. She kissed Artemis's temple. "Take good care of Polly, and I'll see you tomorrow morning." She left the study.

Artemis sat at his computer for a long time, typing up plans for his newest project. He didn't do much work these days, but he did need something to keep him occupied in his spare time.

"Awty?"

Little footsteps padded on the thick carpet of the study. Artemis braced himself. Two little hands covered his eyes. "Guess!"

"Butler."

A little giggle. "No…"

"Juliet."

Another giggle. "No…"

"Polly?"

She dropped her hands away. "How did you know?" Polly said.

"I just know," Artemis said.

"You know everything, Awty," Polly said. She placed her little hands on his knees. "Pick me up!"

Artemis looked over the top of her head at the computer screen. "Not at the moment…"

"_Please_, Awtemis!" Polly said. "_Please_!"

Artemis sighed. "All right, all right," he said, and he lifted the little girl onto his lap. Polly bounced up and down. At four years old, she was already turning out to be a beauty. Long dark curls hung around her shoulders and down her back and her blue eyes- very much like her brother's- sparkled with mischief. She was still rather small for her age, but to Apollo Fowl, size didn't matter much.

"Polly, hold still while I type," Artemis said.

"Awty, I'm hungry," Polly said. "Feed me?"

"In a moment," Artemis said. "Hold still."

A pause.

"Feed me now, Awty?"

"In a moment."

Another pause.

"Feed me now?"

"Mmph."

Another very long pause.

Two small hands grabbed Artemis's cheeks. Polly brought his face eye level with hers. "Feed me, Awtemis," she said firmly.

"All right, all right," Artemis said. He closed down his programs. "Let's go see what Juliet left us."

Polly held his hand, skipping at his side as they made their way down to the kitchen. "Do you think Juliet left colcannon?" she asked.

"I hope not," Artemis said. "She knows you don't like it."

Polly made a face, sticking her small tongue out as far as it would go. "Cabbage is icky," she said.

Artemis glanced through the note Juliet left. "Quesadillas," he said.

Polly tilted her head. "Quesamadillos?" she repeated. She climbed up onto the barstool, rested her elbows on the bar, and watched her brother raptly.

"No, quesadillas," Artemis said. He pulled out the tortillas. "It's a Mexican dish, Polly. Cheese and other ingredients cooked inside tortillas."

"They are quesamadillos," Polly said. She rested her chin on her hands.

"Polly, you're combing the word 'quesadilla' with 'armadillo.' I don't think there's going to be any armadillos in this," Artemis said. Polly laughed. She watched Artemis as he made her her dinner.

"Is it ready?" Polly said.

"Here," Artemis said, sliding the quesadilla onto the plate and setting it before her. "Eat."

Polly stared at it. "It doesn't look like this when Juliet makes it," she said.

"I know," Artemis said. "But it tastes the same."

Polly took a bite. "If you close your eyes." She took another bite. "It tastes yummy. Thank you, Awty."

"You're welcome," he said. He took a bite and chewed, looking down at his plate. Artemis closed his eyes.

-----

"Polly, it's bedtime," Artemis said. "Growing children of toddler age need their sleep."

Polly put her hands on her little hips. "Not sleepy!" she said.

Artemis sat down in the plush armchair and folded his arms. "Yes, you are," he said calmly.

"No, I'm not," she insisted. She folded her hands like the miniature copy of Artemis that she was. "Not sleepy a'tall."

"Polly, you've changed into your nightgown, had two glasses of water, three stories, and a song," Artemis said.

She shook her small finger in his face. "And not a very good one," she said. "You don't sing good, Awty."

"I know," he said. "If you don't go to bed, I'll sing again."

Polly grinned wickedly. "If you sing more, I stay up more," she said. "Sing me a song?"

"No," Artemis said firmly. He picked his little sister up, plunked her down on her bed, and tucked the blankets around her. "Go to sleep, Polly."

"Awty?" she said.

"No songs, stories, or snacks," he warned.

Polly tilted her cheek towards him. "Goodnight kiss?" she asked.

Artemis kissed her soft round cheek. "Goodnight, Polly," he said.

"Good night, Awtemis," Polly said. She snuggled under the covers. "I go to sleep now."

Artemis smiled as he turned off the light and closed the door behind him.

-----

Artemis barely noticed the storm. He was too caught up in his work to notice rain, wind, or even the passage of time. He did notice, however, when a tiny hand grabbed his arm.

"Awtemis?"

"What, Polly?" Artemis asked. He didn't look up from his computer screen.

"Awtemis, I don't like storms," Polly sniffled. "Awty, hold me?"

Artemis stopped. His baby sister plucked at his sleeve. Her baby blanket was draped haphazardly around her head and shoulders; she clutched her Wendy doll in her hands. Artemis reached down and picked her up. "Are you all right?" he asked.

Polly nodded, her head buried in his chest. Thunder cracked outside. Polly jumped and gripped the lapels of his shirt. "I don't like storms…"

Artemis kissed the top of her head. "I'll stay with you," he said. And so he did. Artemis typed with Polly lying in his arms. She stayed awake, blinking drowsily, until the rhythmic tapping of the keyboard finally lulled her to sleep.

Finally Artemis felt himself growing tired. His eyelids drooped. With a heavy yawn, he shut down the computer and stood, holding Polly in his arms. "You're heavier when you're asleep," he whispered. Polly didn't answer.

Artemis carried Polly down the hall. He took her to her own room, then paused. Lightning lit up the night sky. Artemis smiled and continued to his own room. He laid Polly down on the bed, changed into his pajamas, and crawled under the covers next to her. Polly sighed heavily in her sleep and nestled her head against his shoulder. Artemis tangled his fingers in her hair.

"Good night," he murmured, and fell asleep.

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**Author's Notes:**

Gah, the cute. It burns us!

Just to show how long ago this was, I remember writing this chapter as a senior in high school. And I graduated from college last month. Yikes.

This chapter is dedicated to one of my BFFS, Keeton. We still joke about quesamadillos...


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Artemis Fowl belongs to Eoin Colfer, not me.

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This was not how Artemis wanted to spend his free time.

Not at all.

A fat little girl pulled on the edges of his coat. "I want a biscuit!" she whined. "Gimme a biscuit, Mad Hatter!"

"You've had quite enough biscuits already," Artemis snapped. "The buttons on your dress are about to pop off." The little girl burst into noisy tears and ran away.

"Now, Artemis, you ought to be nicer," Juliet warned. She cleared away several delicate child-sized teacups, the skirts of her red and white costume gown swishing. "It's your little sister's birthday, and she ought to have a good time."

"If Polly thinks this is a good time, I still have a great deal to teach her," Artemis scowled. He tugged on the black and white checkered waistcoat. "When I turned five, Mum and Dad took me to the opera."

"Yes, well, Polly's a great deal more fun than you are," Juliet said. She smiled fondly. "Look at her, holding court like a little queen. Seems only yesterday she was learning to walk."

Artemis followed her gaze. Polly sat on their mother's lap opening presents, dressed in a blue and white Alice in Wonderland costume. Her dark hair made a pretty contrast to the outfit. Artemis found himself smiling. She had grown up so much already.

"Oh, I see that look, Artemis Fowl," Juliet said. "You're just as much wrapped around that child's little finger as Butler is."

"I'm not as bad as Butler," Artemis argued. If Artemis felt ridiculous in the green, black, and white Mad Hatter costume, at least he wasn't as silly as Butler in white rabbit ears and a red waistcoat. But then again, no one was teasing Butler- no one teases a massive Eurasian man trained in several forms of martial arts, even if he is wearing bunny ears.

Juliet adjusted her small wire crown. "Perhaps, but then again…" She sashayed down the garden path to the house, balancing the dishpan on her hip.

Artemis felt a small pair of arms fling around his neck. "Oh, Awty," Polly sighed. "This is the best out of all of my birthdays."

"This is only your fifth one, silly," Artemis said.

Polly blinked. "But it _is _the best one so far," she said. She was beginning to learn some of her 'r' sounds.

"Be as it may," Artemis said. "I have another present for you."

"Another?" Polly breathed. "Awty!"

Artemis reached into the pocket of the green tailcoat and pulled out a small black velvet box. "Open it," he said.

He wished he had had a box more suited to a fairy gift, but there was nothing quite right for it. Polly pried the lid off, her small face scrunching in concentration. "Pretty!" she cried.

"It's also practical," Artemis added.

Polly looked up, exasperated. "Awtemis, I am five years old," she said. "I don't care about pwactical."

"That's true," Artemis sighed. Polly lifted the locket out of the small box. Dangling on the silver chain was a round flat locket, the front covered with a milky iridescent stone that might, to the untrained eye, resemble an opal. Artemis's eyes were quite trained, however, and the streaks of silver and blue running through the creamy jewel were clearly unearthly.

"Put it on me, Awty, please," Polly begged.

Artemis did so, his fingers fumbling slightly with the minuscule clasp. Foaly had designed that as well; it was small but completely unbreakable. "This is very, very special Polly," he said. "If you are ever in trouble, bite down on that, and…and help of some kind will come to you."

Polly studied it, squinting. "Like if I can't reach the top shelf?" she inquired. "Or I fall down?"

"No, no, Polly, not like that," Artemis said. He picked his sister up, holding her tightly against him. "Only if…if something were to happen to Butler, or Juliet, or Mummy or Daddy or…or me. If you were all alone, and scared, and away from home. Only then. You understand?"

Polly nodded solemnly. "I will take extreme caution," she said.

Artemis felt her quick child-heartbeats against his chest. He suddenly hugged her tightly; she twined her small arms around his neck. "Good girl, Polly," he whispered. "Good girl."

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**Author's Notes:**

Bahahaha, Artemis dressed up as the Mad Hatter.

Also, if anyone draws a picture of Butler as the White Rabbit, I may very well pee myself from laughing.


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